LAWS OF THE
WORLD ON FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
This page provides links
to laws of the world dealing with female genital mutilation. It does not include references to laws that
establish committees or bodies to study the issue or general criminal law
provisions that could be applied to female genital mutilation, but do not refer
to the procedure specifically.
AustraliaAUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Crimes (Amendment) Act (No. 3) 1995.
AustraliaNew South Wales
Crimes Act 1900 [Section 45] [initially enacted by Act
(No. 58 of 1994) to amend the Crimes Act 1900 to prohibit female genital
mutilation, 22 September 1994].
AustraliaNorthern Territory
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nt/consol_act/ccotntoa498/index.html">Criminal
Code of the Northern Territory of Australia [Section 186A-186D] [initially
enacted by the Criminal Code Amendment Act (No. 2) 1995, 28 December 1995].
AustraliaSouth Australia
Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 [Sections 32-33B]
[initially enacted by the Statutes Amendment (Female Genital Mutilation and
Child Protection) Act 1995 (Act No. 24 of 1995), 27 April 1995].
AustraliaVictoria
Crimes
(Female Genital Mutilation) Act 1996 (Act No. 46 of 1996), 26 November 1996.
Belgium
Law of 28 November 2000 on the criminal protection of
minors [Article 29].
Burkina Faso
Law No. 43/96/ADP of 13 November 1996, the Penal Code
[Articles 380-382].
CANADA
Act to
amend the Criminal Code (child prostitution, child sex tourism, criminal
harassment and female genital mutilation), 25 April 1997 [Section 5], as
incorporated into the Criminal Code as Section 268.
Djibouti
Penal Code, 1995 [Article 333].
EGYPT
Order
No. 261 of 8 July 1996 of the Minister of Health and Population.
France
Penal
Code; Decree No. 95-1000 of 6 September 1995 setting forth the Code of Medical
Ethics [Article 41].
Ghana
An Act (484 of 1994) to amend the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act
29) to include in the Code the offence of female circumcisions and for
connected purposes, 4 August 1994.
Guinea
Decree No. D/96/205/PRG/SGG of 5 December 1996 promulgating
the Code of Medical Deontology [Article 40].
Ivory Coast
Law
No. 98-757 of 23 December 1998 on the repression of certain forms of violence
against women.
Madagascar
Decree No. 98-945 of 4 December 1998 setting forth
the Code of Medical Ethics [Article 39].
MALI
Ordinance No. 02-053/P-RM of 4 June
2002 creating a National Program to Fight the Practice of Female Genital
Mutilation.
MAURITANIA
Ordinance No. 2005-015 of 5
December 2005.
New Zealand
Crimes
Act (1961-1999) Act No. 20 of 1999 [Sections 204A-205A] [initially enacted by
the Crimes Amendment Act 1995 (Act No. 49 of 1995), 2 August 1995].
NIGER
Law of 24 May 2006, Law on
Reproductive Health.
NORWAY
Law No. 74 of 15 December 1995
prohibiting female genital mutilation.
SENEGAL
Law
No. 99-05 of 25 January 1999 amending various provisions of the Penal Code [Article
2], as incorporated into the Penal Code, Article 299bis.
South Africa
Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair
Discrimination Act, 2000 (Act No. 4 of 2000) [Section 8].
SPAIN
Organic Law No. 11/2003 of 29
September 2003 on crete measures relating to the safety of citizens, domestic
violence, and the social integration of foreigners.
Sweden
Law
No. 316 of 27 May 1982 prohibiting female circumcision.
Tanzania
Sexual Offences
Special Provisions Act, 1998 (Act No. 4 of 1998), 1 July 1998 [Section 21].
Togo
Law No. 98-016 of 17 November 1998 prohibiting female
genital mutilation in Togo.
Uganda
The Children Statute 1996 (Statute No. 6 of 1996)
[Section 8].
United Kingdom
Female
Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (Chapter 31 of 2003), 30 October 2003.
United States
Public
Law No. 104-208, 30 September 1996 [Sections 579, 644, and 645].
ZIMABABWE
Domestic Violence
Act, 26 February 2007.